Caught in the Wrong Arms, Or the Right Arms?
by Katniss.TheMockingjay2016
Summary: Katniss says she loves Peeta, but her inner-self says she loves Gale. Who's arms will she find herself in? And will she stay in his arms or run to the other set of arms that is waiting on her? **After Catching Fire... is a replacement for Mockingjay**
1. Chapter One: Mockingjay

"Katniss!" Help me please!" I hear someone yell. I look around and I can't see anyone. "Katniss, please help me!" I hear someone yell again and I finally see Peeta surrounded by about twelve Career tributes. I run as fast as my feet could ever possibly carry me, but the closer I think that I get, the further Peeta looks from me. I continue to run as fast as I can but Peeta continues to get farther and farther away.

"Katniss, they are going to kill me! Please help me!" I hear Peeta yell and it sounds close but he looks miles and miles away. My side feels like its on fire and I lean over with my hands on my knees. My mouth begins to fill with saliva and then the overwhelming feeling to throw up overcomes me. I throw my guts up at my feet and continue to puke my guts up until there is nothing else that could possibly come up. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and continue my hike to reach Peeta.

I reach a tree and rest up against the tree. I slide into a sitting position and put my head on my arms. Tears threaten my eyes but I grit my teeth against them and they do not fall. I hear Haymitch's voice in my head telling me that I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and find my fellow tribute. I struggle to my feet and begin to walk, unsteadily, towards the sound of Peeta's screams. I finally reach Peeta and I reach out my hand to stop one of the Careers from slapping Peeta but my hand hits a force field and bounces back to slap me in the face. I watch as one of the Careers slap Peeta in the face and it feels like he slapped me in the face. That's twice now, I think to myself and then scream to Peeta, "Peeta, I can't help you! There is a force field! You have to get away!" Peeta looks around and I silently thank God that he can hear me.

"Katniss, is that you?" Peeta asks with hope in his voice. I feel a tear roll down his cheek. Oh, Peeta, I think to myself. I wipe the tear away and frown. Showing my weakness on screen is not smart; I need to stay strong for my mom, for my sister, and for Gale. I have to get home to all of them and I have to get Peeta home to his family as well. Peeta continues to look around for me but I don't think he can see me. I have never seen a force field in any of the previous Hunger Games, but I guess they have to keep the Hunger Games interesting for the people at home and for the people in the Capital; if the people in the Capital do not like it they will stop watching and that's means tributes won't get sponsored and one of us could die.

"It's me, Katniss! Peeta, I need you to get away from the Careers and come towards your left! Find a way to get away from them and then I can help you!" I yell at him, praying that he can find a way. As Peeta begins to struggle against the Career that is holding him, another Career, I think from District 1, comes at Peeta with a knife. "Peeta, Watch out!" I scream at him but it's too late. The Career plunges the knife into Peeta's chest and Peeta falls to his knees, holding his chest. When he moves his hand away from his chest, it is painted with red paint, or at least that's what I tell myself. "NO! PEETA!" I scream. I launch myself at the force field and I suddenly bolt upright in my bed.

My mom is sitting on the edge of my bed with her hand outstretched, as if she were about to wake me. "Honey, are you okay?" She asks with concern written on her face and plain in her voice. Prim is sitting up in mom's bed and she has worry in her eyes. I look up at my mother and I hate myself. I hate myself for not reaching Peeta when we were in the arena for the second time before all hell broke loose. I hate myself for dragging Peeta along with me into the arena for the second time. I hate myself for loving someone that I knew I could never deserve. I hate myself for letting Peeta take Haymitch's place. Haymitch was prepared to die for me to live and be happy with Peeta in the Victor's Village, but Peeta had to step in and take Haymitch's spot to be the hero. I love Peeta and I hate myself for not telling him when I had the chance. Now, I may never get the chance to tell Peeta how I really feel. Peeta will always be in my heart and I know that I will always be in his. But, Peeta is now in the hands of President Snow and Snow just might kill him to get back at me. I would never forgive myself if Peeta dies at the hands of Snow or any of Snow's followers. It isn't fair that I am safe while Peeta could be getting beat to death by Snow's people. I am sitting here alive and being well fed while Peeta could be starving to death and he could be lonely or even dead. Oh my god, what if Snow has already killed him?

"I need to talk to Haymitch." I say and quickly dress in the shirt that used to be Peeta's and the pants I wore in the arena. I grab the pearl that Peeta gave me before our world fell apart and slip it into my pocket. I vow to myself that I will find him and he will be alive. If he isn't alive, then I promise to kill myself and they will bury us in the same grave. I walk down the cold and empty hallways to Haymitch's room that is only ten doors down from our room. I reach his golden door that reads "Haymitch, leave me the Hell alone" and knock hesitantly. I hear someone from the other side say, "Come in," so I open the door to find Haymitch laying in his bed, looking expectantly at me. "I had a horrible dream." I tell him.

"What was your dream about?" Haymitch asks me. I shrug my shoulders and tears roll down my cheek. Haymitch holds his arms open for me and I throw myself into his arms. I begin to sob uncontrollably and Haymitch rubs my back as I cry. He rubs my back and whispers reassurances in my ears until my sobs subside. "Honey, are you okay?" He asks me hesitantly. I wipe the last tears from my eyes and frown at him.

"Of course I'm not okay! Peeta is being held captive by Snow and no one here is doing anything about it! I will feel horrible if something happens to him or if we never get him back. I should have told him a long time ago but I love him, Haymitch. I truly love him and I am dying inside knowing that we may never see each other ever again. I have to save him; it's the only way to be sure that we can have a future together." I yell at him at the top of my lungs.

"Look, sweetheart, we are trying our hardest to get Peeta out of Snow's hands but we are at a stand- still. We have no idea where he is being held or if he is even alive. We cannot just go into Snow's territory blind. We need someone on the inside that can help us get Peeta out alive and to somewhere that is safe." Haymitch says, patting my arm reassuringly; it seems that he is trying to speak reason but I only hear Peeta's screams from my dream. He is being tortured and it's because of me.

"NO! YOU LOOK, HAYMITCH! I LOVE PEETA AND WE WILL GET HIM OUT OF SNOW'S HANDS BEFORE I GO INSANE! IF WE DO NOT HAVE HIM OUT IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS, I WILL CALL SNOW MYSELF AND GIVE MYSELF UP TO HIM IF IT MEANS SAVING PEETA." I scream at him. He throws his hands up as if I'm a cop coming to arrest him. "I need to help him, Haymitch. Even if it's the last thing I do, I have to rescue him and me alone. I want to be the one to go under cover and be your inside eyes. I need to do this. Please, talk to our Chief and let her know that I am ready to be the Mockingjay."


	2. Chapter 2: Friends

"Sweetheart, do you really think that's what you want to do right now? You seem to be stressed and worried about Peeta but letting Snow have you is not going to help you or Peeta. The best thing to do right now to help Peeta is to wit until we know what Snow is planning to do with him." Haymitch says, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I look at him and raise my eyebrow.  
"I don't get you! In the arena you wanted me to keep Peeta alive, side with Finnick and play nice with everyone but now, when it counts the most, you want me to wait it out. Well, you must not have been paying attention to me this past year or so. I am not going to sit by and let Snow torture Peeta, not when I can save him and have him here with me. Now, I'm going to see Chief and tell her that I am ready to step up and be the Mockingjay, whether you like it or not." I say firmly but quietly. He shakes his head but before he can say anything to stop me, I spin on my heel and walk out of his room. I walk down the hall and found a corner when I bump into someone and almost fall backwards. Strong arms catch me and bring me into their chest. I look up to see a smiling Gale looking down at me.  
"Where you headed in such a hurry, Katnip?" He asks, using the nickname he made up years ago when things were so much easier. I smile slightly at him but he sees right though it and raises his eyebrow. "What's wrong?" He asks me, suddenly becoming serious. I shake my head and feel tears stinging my eyes. I grit my teeth against the tears and try to give him a reassuring smile. He frowns and crosses his arms; a sign saying that he doesn't believe me, not for one minute.  
"I'm just having bad dreams, Gale. This happened the first time I was a tribute. I knew that I would have them this time, too. I just didn't think they would be so vivid... It felt like I was actually there, Gale. It was horrible; I saw Peeta die right in front of me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Gale, you know that I hate feeling useless, but as I watched Peeta die, I felt more hopeless than I had ever felt. I'm not cut out to feel useless. I have always been able to do something to help someone but there isn't anything that I can do to help Peeta." I wail, throwing myself into his arms. He catches me and unfolds me in his arms. He whispers reassurances in my ears and he holds me as tears begin to fall from my eyes. He pulls away and looks down at me. Surprise and shock register in his eyes.  
"Katnip, are you crying?" He asks incredulously. I frown at him and he smiles sheepishly at me.  
"What does it look like I'm doing, you moron? Of course I'm crying, what else would one doing? I'm clearly upset and you are not helping me at all. If anything, you are making me feel worse!" I yell at him and punch him in the arm. I push him away and stalk down the hallway. I hear footsteps behind me and know that Gale has followed me. I do not turn around to look at him; I just keep walking down the hallway.  
"Katniss, I'm sorry for acting stupid back there. I should have been more sympathetic. You know that I would do anything to help you. I guess I just don't understand why you would be crying over a dream about some guy that you didn't even know until you got sucked into this whole Hunger Games mess." Gale says, catching a hold of my arm and spinning me around to face him.  
"He isn't just some guy. He fed me and my family when no one would buy Prim's old dress. He let me help him when he thought I would kill him in the arena. He helped me when I was unconscious and nursed me back to health. Peeta saved me from dying that night in the arena. I will never be able to repay that except by getting him away from Snow. Gale... I think that... I umm... might love him." I say, whispering the last sentence. Several emotions run across his face but only one sticks with me and it is jealousy. I finally realize something about Gale... Gale loves me.  
"And all of those things make you love him? Katniss, I have been your friend for far more years than he has. I have helped you hunt and put food on the table for your family. And you have returned the favor for my family when I couldn't. All of those years have to mean something to you because they mean a lot to me. Katniss, I love you." He says fiercely. He strides forward with a purpose in his eyes. He takes me nd pulls me into his chest. He raises my chin so that our eyes meet and then he leans down toward me. He presses his lips lightly to mine. He pulls back and them presses his lips once more to mine. Only this time I kiss him back. My heart begins to race in my chest and my body flares to life where Gale touches me. Suddenly, a picture of Peeta leaning forward to kiss me jumps into my mind. My stomach drops to the ground and I pull away from Gale.  
"Gale, we have been friends for a really long time. And I love you but only as a friend. You have helped me s o much that I look at you as a big brother. I'm so sorry I can't do this. I'm sorry that I don't feel the same way you do." I whisper. I kiss him on the cheek and walk down the hall to the command central of our military. I reach the door that leads into the military headquarters and take in a deep breath, square my shoulders and walk into the door as confident as I can.


	3. Author's Note

I know it has been along time since I last updated but I've been so busy and have been having tons of problems with my technology. Please be patient as I work hard on the third chapter.


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